Thursday, February 28, 2013

I Will Fight No More Forever (1975)

Although it’s so heavily
skewed toward providing educational content that it plays more like a dry
documentary than a lively feature, the TV movie I Will Fight No More Forever illuminates such an important chapter
of American history that it’s possible to overlook the textbook presentation
and enjoy the underlying narrative. The title emanates from a quote by Chief
Joseph, who in 1877 helped guide his Nez Perce tribe from Oregon to Montana in
a quest to escape the clutches of the U.S. government by slipping into Canada.
While Joseph was neither the only leader of the Nez Perce nor the only Native
American who engendered sympathy among whites, his determination and eloquence
were unique—during his flight from Oregon, Joseph evaded the U.S. Cavalry for
nearly 2,000 miles with minimal loss of life, and when he finally surrendered,
he did so with such poetry that he shamed his pursuers.

I Will Fight No More Forever tells the story of the Nez Perce
exodus simply, and with a commendable degree of balance—some Nez Perce braves
are shown as reckless, providing a counterpoint to Joseph’s rationality, just
as Joseph’s main pursuer, Gen. Oliver Howard, is shown to sympathize with
Joseph’s goals rather than hating the man. The story begins with a white civilian
murdering a Nez Perce brave based on a false accusation of theft. As his people
call for war, Joseph (Ned Romero) counsels patience and brings the matter to
the attention of his friend, Howard (James Whitmore). Howard pledges to bring
the killer to justice, but then he drops a bombshell by saying the U.S.
government wants the Nez Perce moved onto a reservation. Appalled that a treaty designed to prevent exactly that outcome has been broken,
Joseph walks away from his meeting with Howard and confers with his tribe.
Reasoning that flight is wiser than open war, Joseph begins the journey to the
Canadian border, with Howard’s troops in pursuit. As the chase spreads from
days to weeks to months, Howard gains respect for his opponent’s strategic
genius.

Romero, a journeyman actor of
partial Native American descent, makes up in presence what he lacks in skill,
because he looks perfect in flowing hair and feathers, his face seemingly
carved from granite and his voice a resonant instrument. Whitmore and costar
Sam Elliot, who plays Howard’s aide (and sparring partner during moral
debates), invest their scenes with feeling, often surmounting the limitations
of stilted dialogue. The physicality of the movie is okay, with wide-open
locations compensating for iffy makeup and too-tidy costuming, though a
Native-themed music score lends texture. I
Will Fight No More Forever is not the best tribute one might imagine for
Chief Joseph, but it’s an honorable attempt.